Most Recent Messages in Surgery & Recovery

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Doing too much?


My name is Charlie, age 62, live in Nor Cal an hour east of Stockton, Sierra foothills about 1500 ft. I just found this website yesterday and joined.

I had an ICD installed on Saturday 17 May 2008. If was kind of an emergency since I fainted on Thursday. Actually my heart stopped for 6 seconds. I had a heart monitor on because I had fainted three weeks prior. From the monitor my heart was tachy/brady before I passed out on Thursday.

The Dr had me on 50 gm Meto...

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Pleurisy

Just an update.. I've seen my GP, and the chest pain/cramping and trouble breathing that I have been having is pleurisy. I'm glad I know what it is now, and that it isn't dangerous. I have ibuprofen for pain/inflammation and it seems to be helping.

I hope everyone is feeling good today!
Helen

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Chest cramping?

Hi everyone,

I just had my ICD implanted a week and a half ago, on May 13. In general, I have been doing really well. The site itself aches a little, but the pain of the first couple of days is mostly gone, and when I had my stitches out the nurse said the incision was healing very well.

My question is about something that has happened twice now, once on the way home from the hospital the day after the surgery, and once at 4am this morning. I get terrible, shooting chest c...

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Pain

Well This question is for the women in our wonderful group. No offense guys.

But I was wondering if any of the women noticed any pain in their arm pit area after taking their bra off. I noticed that everytime I take off my bra I have pain in my arm pit area and around my pacemaker. Its not to serious but can be very uncomfortable so I was just wondering if anyone else was experiencing it and if they have found a way to make the pain go away.


Thanks every o...

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New Pacemaker

I had a pacemaker implanted 4 days ago due to slow heartrate. I am 61. All went well. I have more discomfort than I expected in my shoulder area.

When I take a deep breath I can feel it in the shoulder area of the implant. It is a lot less than the first day. I assume this is normal, but you know what they say about "assume". I do have more energy & I am more allert. My coloring is also better.

I have a pressure bandage-not to be removed for 2 weeks. So far so go...

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lead replaced

thank you cathryn b and gellia 2 for your feedback. i had my surgery yesterday to relace the ventricle lead. i am now needind to be 100% paced which is kind of scarry. but i am home and will hope for the best.
bonnie

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new lead placement

I have had my PM for 6 months and in 2 days I will have surgery to replace a ventricle lead that is not well situated ( It is touching my diaphram and not giving enough stimulation to the ventricle.) 3 questions:1- my surgeon is going to leave the old lead in because she is concerned that trying to pull it out could result in pulling out some heart tissue also. Any feedback on this? 2- I was reading one of the messages in which the PM was under breast tissue and I would like to know if this is...

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Im at home recovering.

Hello everyone. Just wanted to let you know the PM surgery went smoothly. I wasnt completely out under anesthetics but was enough out of it that I only remember random conversations that happened in the OR. I spent the night in the hospital and was able to come home the next day. I am feeling more soreness in my shoulder then I expected but I am optimistic this will pass quickly. I will keep everyone posted on my recovery. I was wondering, at random times I feel like my heart flutters, almost li...

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Tomorrow is the big day...

So tomorrow is my PM implant. I am excited to finally have all of this sorted out and feel better again but I am also very nervous about the surgery. I have faith in the docotor and the hospital and I know God will be in there with me but Im still a bit nervous. What should I expect tomorrow? Part of me wants to be asked to be completely under and not just local anesthetics. Can I ask for that?

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Still feeling sore..

Hi Everyone

Well my story is this...I had my pm put in on 4/22/08 and went back in on 5/1/08. Two leads had come undone, I believe it happened an hour after my first surgery. I had a lot of bleeding so I had the doctor the nurse and the tech from the lab pushing on my chest (my pm) in order to stop the bleeding. So later on that evening I started having spasms in my right stomach, I was told by the nurses it was just gas. Some people experience gas after surgery. Well this went on...

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irritation

Now 8 mos post pacemaker and doing well.The only thing that bothers me is the sensitivity over the scar. Looks like a keloid formation secondary to poor wound closure-my first pacemaker.My skin up to 2inches away from the scar has developed small superficial viens.My GP had suggested a steroid injection near the scar. Any suggestions?
Will

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Complications after surgery

Hello,
I had my PM implanted in February. I needed the physical therapy to increase range of motion. I am finished with that part which helped a lot; however, I still can't raise my arm without pain due to a pinched nerve.
Has anyone else had this problem after having the PM surgery?

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how long will I need physical therapy?

Hi, I'm a 33 year old mom of three. One day, without any prior health problems, I suddenly felt dizzy and fainted. While I was being tended to by EMS and transported to the hospital I lost consciousness several more times. A heart monitor in the hospital detected arrythmia. I got in touch with an excellent cardiologist who had me tested for every possible cause, but could not come up with any. Since the syncope kept recurring while I was in the hospital for several days, and the monitor show...

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old pacemaker

Thank you for answering. Yes, I do go for my annual check ups but that is in the fall. I will see the new doctor at that time. I am not having any trouble at this time, just concerned about the new doctor and getting the pacemaker replaced. 20 years sounds good to me but mine is paced most of the time. I have sarcoidosis in my heart as well as other places so you never know what the future holds, but for now I am okay. Short of breathe but that is due to overweight. My heart rate is only 3...

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Decision-making to have a PM or to not have a PM

Hello everyone, I stumbled upon this website through a Google search engine on pacemakers. My cardiologist, neurologist and now electro-physiologist have all recommended and enforced that I am a very strong candidate to receive a pacemaker since September 2005, (more so now than before). I'm currently taking midodrine hCl and zoloft to control my episodes of fainting (very severe). I am going into my third full year of taking medication, and even though my symptoms have improved, they are not go...

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PM implant location

Hi folks,
I had a pm implanted 3 weeks ago today after spending the last 3 months, fainting, gasping for air and generally feeling weaker by the day. Upon realizing that my pulse would not go above 28, I was rushed to emergency for a pm. It has given me a new life. I still get dizzy and have strange feelings of pressure in my chest and back and twinges at the site of the incision.
The reason I am posting is that, due to severe scarring in both my lungs due to a childhood illness & ha...

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Just found out today

Hi- My name is Candi and I am 31 years old. I was diagnosed with Left Ventricular Non Compaction in March. We just found out today the people with LVNC have a higher rate of cardiac arrest so I guess I'm getting a defib on June 2nd. I put off the implant until school was out because of not being able to drive after the implant. I am very worried about recovery time. We have 5 horses, 2 young children and I work with children so you can see we are very active. It was horrible after having t...

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sleeping soundly

What a great resource this site is for those of us just joining the pacemaker ranks. I am a 49 year old with a medtronic dual lead pacemaker. I am one week past implant. I am a quick healer and pretty healthy and am feeling pretty good now except for being sleep deprived. I am a side and belly sleeper and just cannot get comfortable on my back. I've tried to sleep on my right side but feel like the incision is being stretched. I've tried wedge pillows behind my shoulders and knees and Ambien as...

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I just got a pacemaker a week ago...

I am 48,and was having fainting episodes several times a month...once in a patient's room!When my pacemaker was inserted,I felt better almost immediately.Now,a week later,I have returned to work,and feel exhausted.I am freaking out that maybe my pacemaker isn't working,or maybe a lead slipped.I check my pulse,and it is always over 60.Is this normal..did you find yourself "hypersensitive" for a while?

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New to PM

Hello All,

Iam 39 years old and Iam going to have my first PM on Wednesday.I have had a 2:1 av block since childhood but never any symptoms but now Iam dizzy all the time and have spells of nausea so my doctor has insisted that I need pacing.
Iam worried how it will effect me afterwards as I have a 3 year old and I still want another child.My cardiologist has just said everything will be better after.Iam also worried about recovery time and the possiblity of getting depression. A...

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You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

Member Quotes

Sometimes a device must be tuned a few times before it is right. My cardiologist said it is like fine tuning a car.